The Ivory Coast international opened his account for Stoke as the Potters were too good for the Swans

Match highlights

by Graham Hill and Jake Lambourne

1st November 2016, 7:30 am

Updated: 7th November 2016, 8:37 am

WILFRIED BONY scored his first goals for Stoke City as his double helped to sink former side Swansea City in a lively encounter.

The Ivorian scored two simple strikes thanks to Potters star Joe Allen, who provided both assists for him in the 3-1 win at the Bet365 Stadium, which catapults Mark Hughes' men up to 12th in the Premier League.

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Bony put his side in the lead

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Routledge equalised for the Welsh side

This fan was certainly in the Halloween mood

It was an enthralling first half of football with Stoke City completely dominant - they hit the woodwork three times, twice from the boot of Charlie Adam and once from Marko Arnautovic who rounded Lukasz Fabianski but couldn't find the back of the net.

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However, they did take the lead in the third minute, former Swansea fan favourite Bony tapping home from inside the six-yard box having diverted from Joe Allen's cross-shot.

But their lead didn't last long, just six minutes later against the run of play, little Wayne Routledge opened his account for the season, beating Phil Bardsley in the air from a Gylfi Sigurdsson cross and heading home for an equaliser.

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Bony celebrated against his former club

But the home side didn't have to wait too long to regain their one goal advantage as in the 55th minute, substitute Ramadan Sobhy who replaced Xherdan Shaqiri danced his way past Angel Rangel, and fired low at goal, but the ball was turned in by Swansea's Alfie Mawson.

It's another loss in charge for Bob Bradley

The 22-year-old's Premier league debut was one to forget as his Halloween horror gaffe gifted Stoke the advantage.

Then the two former Swansea boys combined yet again as a delightful Arnautovic flick sent Allen through on goal, and after his shot was parried, he chipped the ball in towards Bony who headed the ball into an empty net.

As Stoke climb up the table, the Welsh club languish in the bottom half of the table occupying 19th spot, with new manager Bob Bradley still without a win in charge.

FACTS, STATS, GOALS & LOLS

Phil Bardsley made himself available for this game after being given compassionate leave following the death of his grandfather which was said to have left the full-back ‘inconsolable’

In case you were wondering what night of the year it was, there were plenty of Stoke and Swansea fans dressed in Halloween costumes - or maybe it was a sign of both sides’ nightmare start to the season

In form Xherdan Shaqiri was feeling right at home going into this game - the Switzerland star quashed rumours of a January move to Roma by moving into his new Cheshire pad but he was forced off injured after just 26 minutes

Mark Hughes said before the game that Wilfried Bony would break his goal duck because he frightens defenders - and it took him less than three minutes to prove his manager right by putting Potters ahead against his former club and then adding another with 18 minutes left

Joe Allen - also facing his former club - might have been the man to open the scoring on night tailor-made for the ex-Swans, but he scuffed his shot in the build up

But while we’re on the subject of first goals of the season, Swansea’s Wayne Routledge found the net to take the wind right out of Stoke’s sails five minutes after Bony’s goal

Swansea’s fans were never going to turn out in huge numbers, second bottom of the table and with the game on TV - but the the away end of the ground looked particularly sparse with 405 fans from South Wales

Stoke hit the frame of the Swansea goal THREE times before the the break - the recalled Charlie Adam hit post and bar before Marko Arnautovic rounded Lukasz Fabianski only to drill his effort against the woodwork

Turns out that the stats show that Stoke are the first team to do that in the first half of a Premier League game since Spurs vs. Blackburn in April 2012.

Potters boss Mark Hughes maintains his record signing Gianni Imbula is on the way back into his plans - but Sparky picked Charlie Adam for his first Premier League start ahead of the £18.3million man

Stoke fans were left singing the praises of Ramadan when the 19-year-old Egypt star’s second half shot was forced home by Alfie Mawson for an own goal